Method and machine for forming tabs and applying them to articles



Dec. 14. 1926. 1,610,873

v 1 F, J. M' 1QDONALD METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING TABS AND APPLYINGTHEM TO ARTICLES Original Filed August 25, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnmfm?Q ankf/Facflanafi Q I mmm iffy- Dec. 14 .1926. 1,510,373

F. J. M DONALD 7 I METHOD AND MACHINE on FORMING'TABS AND APPLYINGTHEMIV'QIIQA ARTICLES Original Filed August 25, 1924-" E i-Sheps-Shet gDec- 14,1926, I 1,610,873 F. J. M DQNALD METHOD AND MPICHINE FOR FORMINGTABS AND APPL'iIN THEM TO ARTICLES original Filed August 25, 11924 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 14 1926- F. J. M DQNALD METHOD AND MACHINE FORFORMING was AND' APPu I-ue-' 'TBEM 'I'O ARTICLES (jriginal Filed August25, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet A,

mu 77. 2711? Jain/r Jflaaflpna 4 Patented Dec. 1 1926.

ll li'; STATeF hell dld reins.

FRANK J. IvIACDONALD, E ELLET, Oil-I10, ASSIGNOR TD THE B. F. GOODRICHCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING TABS AND APPLYING THEM TO ARTlCLESApplication filed igugust 25, 1924, Serial No. 733,931. Renewed August28, 1928.

This invention relates to the art of fornr ing tabs and applying them toarticles, as in the case of therubberized-fabric anchor tabs used inrubber overshoes to secure the respective members of the buckle orfastener to the overshoe, my present invention being an improvement uponthat of United States Patent No. 1,4151,167, issued April 10, 1923, uponmy application, and upon that of United States Patent No. 1,4926%,issued May 26, 1924, upon a joint application of myself and Virgil H.Bodle.

'lhe patents referred to describe procedure and apparatus wherein theend of a strip of rubberized fabric is threaded through the eye of thebuckle member, a tabforminp; length of the fabric strip is severedtherefrom, and the severed length is folded upon and stuck to itself ininterlinked relation to the buckle member.

One of the chief objects of my present invention is to provide improvedprocedure and apparatus whereby the work describe-c may be more rapidlyperformed, as by continuously feeding the strip of tab-f rming materialwhile the buckle members or the like are successively presented andreceive the tab-forming lengths which are successively severed from itsforward end.

Another object is to provide for increased accuracy of operation, andespecially to pro vide improved means adapted to fold the two endportions of the tab-length onto each other without substantiallydisplacing the same with relation to the article with which it isassociated by the feeding of the strip.

A further object is to provide improved means for feedingand guiding thetab-tormiun' strip into association with the article, wherebyuiisaligning' eti'ects incident to variatit'ins in the character of thestrip may be avoided.

Another object is to provide improved .means for manipulating thel'uickle member or the like. whereby the latter may be rapidy handledand accurately carried into strip-receiving iIEUSlillOD and ejected fromthe machine atter the tab has been applied thereto.

,rtnother object is to provide an improved machine adapted to operateupon buckl members of different Another object is to provide improvedmeans for folding the side margins of the tab-forming strip into abuttedrelation at the middle line of the strip notwithstanding variations inthe width of the strip.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with portions broken away and sectioned, ofa machine embodying and adapted to or ry out my in vention in itspreferred form.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a section on line 4% of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2, a part being shown inelevation and broken away. I

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a strip-folding device, as viewed fr m thedelivery end thereof, the fabric, tab-forming strip being shown insection.

Fig. 7 is a section, on line 'T-Tof Fig. 52.,

of strip-feeding and guiding nechanisin, but

at a later stage of operation than that of Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a buckle-memberholding; wheel, a part beingbroken away and a part being sectioned.

9 is a perspective view of a keeper or ladder of a shoe buckle with atab attached thereto, produced by the machine.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view ot' finished work in the form of a tonguedshoe-buckle member and tab attached thereto.

. a db General description.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a base 10 whichsupports an intermittently driven wheel 11 adapted to receive successivebuckle-members, carry them to a threading position and there hold themfor the threading operation, and theinby further turning, to withdrawthe buckle-menu ber transversely from the line of feed of the threadedstrip to cause cooperating rolls l2, 13 to fold the tab-length uponitself, the wheel being adapted to release the buckle member, so thatthe latter is ejected from the machine, when the tab length has thusbeen folded.

Also supported by the base 10 is a pair of continuously drivenstrip-feeding and severing rolls 14;, 15, the roll 1 having; mounted onits cylindrical face a severing die 16 (Fig.

7), which as here shown is formed integrally with. the roll. Said rollsare adapted to draw the tab-forming strip, 17, of tacky,

rubberized fabric, through a folder 18, from a set of auxiliarystripfeeding rolls 19, E3 21, and to feed the fol ed strip forward tothread its leading cut through the eye of each successive l'JYL l1:member.

Between the strip-feeding and severing rolls 1%, 15 and. the foldingroll 12 are two pairs ofauxiliary tal'i-l'ecding and guiding rolls 22,23, 2-1;, (Fig. '7), adapted to main tain'alignn'ient of and feedforward the severed or substantially severed tab lengths. Between said tit-feeding rolls and the folding roll 12 is an adjustable tab-guidingdevice 26, having its tab-engaging surfaces positioned close to thetab-receiving position of the buckle-inc nher, so that said tab-guidingdevice and the tab-feeding rollers are adapted to maintain accuratecontrol and prevent buckling or misalignment of each tab as the latterpasses from the severing die into the eye of the buckle member.

iS zwlp-feediag and sewers-21g vnechcmsm.

The strip-feeding and severing rolls 1s, 15 are secured upon respectiveparallel shafts 27, 28, by pins 29, 30, said shafts being journaled inrespective pairs of journal blocks 31, 3'2, 33, the pairs of journalblocks being slidably mounted in respective standards 35, 86 rising fromthe base 10, and retained in their recesses in said standards byvertical posts 3?, mounted in said standards. Adjusting screws 39,threaded through overhanging upper portions of the standards areprovided for forcing the upper journal blocks downward to cause therollers 14., to grip the tab-forming strip, and the die 16 to sever, orsubstantially sever, the latter.

Between the standards 35, 36 the shafts 2T, 28 are integrallyformed-with sets of gear teeth s1, 42. which are intertneshed, and theupper shaft, at the rear of he machine, has secured thereon a p r 43which is meshed with a gear at. on a sh i i t, having a co union hubwith a sprochct .1, the later being connected by a sprocket-chain 46with a sprocket t? secured on a shaft 4L8 mounted in, standards 49, 56rising from the base 16 the strip-receiving end of the ma chine, saidshaft being adapted to be driven from a suitable source of power (notshown) through a sprocket 5i and chain The severi die 16 on thestrip-feeding and severing roll 1% p" erably of J- shapc, to provide asvn'unctrical, progressive cutting action, and is of such low height asto permit a close soaring of the rolls 14:. 15 such as to cause them togrip the folded fabric strip adjacent the die and continue to feed itforw 'd notwithstanding its severance or subs ial severance by the die.To avoid GXCQSSNQ resistance of the fabric strip 17 to the pull of therolls 141, 15, however, the auxiliary feed roll. 19 is provided, thelatter being secured upon the shaft 48 and provided with a knurledsurface, shown in Fig. 1. Said auxiliary roll is adapted to be driven ata slightly greater peripheral speed than that of the severing rolls 14-,15, the arrangement being such that it will slip with relation to thefabric strip but will engage the latter with sufficient friction,responsive to the pull of the severing rollers, to feed the fabricforward to the latter without excessive tension in the intern'lediatereach of the strip. The roll is loosely journaled upon a stub shaft 53mounted in the standard 4i!) and is adapted so to guide the fal ic strip1.? as to cause the latter to have contact with the feed roll 19throughout a large part of the latters circumference, and the roll 21,loosely journaled upon a similar stub shaft, 54, is a guide roll fordirecting the strip from the source of supply (not shown) to the guideroll 53. To prevent sagging of the horizontal reach of the strip andconsequent over-feeding of the strip, a bracket 55 pro je-cts from thestandard 19 and is adapted slidahly to support the strip.

The strip-folding device 18 comprises a block 56 formed with astrip-folding aperture and adjustably secured by a screw 56* upon theupper end of an arm 57 which is secured at its base upon a shaft 58rotatably mounted in the frame of the machine and urged to rotate, in adirection such as to swing the arm 57 toward the feeding and severingrolls 1st, 15, by a compression spring interposed between the base 10and a rocker-arm 6O projecting from said shaft. A rocker arm 61,projecting from the other side of the shaft is provided with a set-screw62 adapted to abut the base 10 to act against the force of the spring 59in adjustment of the folding device from or toward the feeding andsevering rolls 14, 15, to vary the character of the fold produced in thefabric strip. I

The block 56, at the delivery end of its strip-folding aperture, isformed with upper and lower ear-portions 63, 6%, between which arepivoted, on vertical axes, a. pair of folder jaws 65, 66, formed ontheir adjacent. faces with respective grooves, the walls of which are,in general effect, continuations of the wall of the strip-foldingaperture in the block 56. Said jaws are tapered toward their deliveryends, in a manner such as to permit them to extend between the rolls14-, 15, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, so as to engage the sides of thefolded strip, at its lines of fold, close to the nip of said rolls, andthus hold the strip to the proper folded form substantially to the pointwhere it is gripped by said rolls.

For yieldingly urging the folder jaws 65, 66 toward. each other, abouttheir pivots, and

thus to cause them to maintain the folded margins of the strip inabutted, edge-to-e'dge relation notwithstanding variations in the widthof the strip, the pivot pins 67, 68 of said jaws extend below the earportion Get of the block 56 and have secured on their lower endsrespective inwardly :ctending and overlapping arms 69, 70 (see Fig. 6),a pin 71 being secured in the arm 69 and projecting into a slot 72formed in the arm 70, the opposite end of said pin projecting from thelower side of the arm 69 and being connected by a. pull spring 7 S withthe fold tar-supporting arm 57.

Toprevent the margins of the fabric strip from overlapping orprematurely contacting each other, and to assure the proper angularposition of the strip as it passes through the folding device, a pin 74is mounted in the upper ear portion of the block 56 and projectsdownward into the passage through which the strip is drawn. Forsupporting and guiding the fabric strip in a fiat condition at adeterminate distance from the folder, and so to assure smooth feeding ofthe strip and a detern'iinate, uniform character of fold, an arm 7 5 issecured to the standard 35, and adapted to be held in differentpositions of adjustment, by a screw 76, and a pair of guide pins 77 78project horizontally from the lower end of said arm and are adapted tohold the fabric strip to a flat condition as it passes between them.

Buclclc-manipulating devices.

Buckle holding wheels of different form are provided for the tonguedmembers and keeper members respectively of the shoe buckles, that forthe tongued members be ing shown in Fig. 8 and designated 84, and thatfor the keeper members being shown in Fig. l and designated 11.

The buckle holding wheel 11, or 6%, is secured, by a nut 11 and a dowelstud 11 upon a head 79 formed upon a shaft 79 which is journaled in theupper end of an arm 80 which is pivoted, at its lower end, upon aneccentric shaft 81 (see Figs. 1 and 5) journaledin brackets formed onthe base 10, and said shaft is adapted to be turnedby a hand lever 82 toraise or lower the buckleholding wheel 11 to adapt it for buckle mem-'bers of different lengths. A set-screw 83 (Fig. 1) is threaded through.one of the journal brackets of said eccentric shaft and adapted to bearupon the latter to hold it in different positions of adjustment.

The wheel 11, for the keeper members, is formed on its front side facewith a pluralitv, here shown as three, cam-faced, keeperholdingprojections or dogs 85, 85, whose outer, peripheral faces 86, 86, areconcentric and flush with the outer peripheral face 87 of the wheelproper,- Each of the dogs 85 is formed on its arcuate face 86 with arecess 88 adapted to receive a keeper-member 89" with the eye-portion ofthe latter exposed at the outer periphery of the wheel, as clearly shownin Fig. 1, and pivoted in said recess is a pawl-like latch 90 formedwith a hook 91 on its outer end and adapted to be pressed against thekeeper 8 9 to retain the latter in position during'that part of therevolution of the wheel which carries the keeper to threading positionand beyond such position to fold the tab and then to be lifted from thekeeper to permit the latter, with the tab assembled therewith, to dropfrom the wheel. F or urging the latch 90 toward its holding position, itis provided with a hinge-spring 93 (Fig. 2). For lifting it from itsholding position to release the keeper 89, its journal projects from therear face of the wheel 11 and has secured thereon a cam-arm 94 adaptedto run upon a cam 95 mounted upon a boss formed on the upper end of thewheel-supporting arm and adapted to be secured in angularly adjustedpositions thereon by a set-screw 96-.

The wheel 84 8) for manipulating the tongued members, one of which isshown at 97, is substantially like the keeper-holding wheel 11, exceptthat the dogs, designated 85, are formed with recesses appropriatelyshaped to seat the tongued members instead of the keepers, and thelatches, one of which is shown at 90, are likewise modified, as clearlyshown in Fig. 8, to act effectively upon the tongued members.

Tabfolrl'ing devices.

The tab-supporting and folding roll 12 is journaled in a bracket 98secured to the standard 35 and is adapted to support the tab 9:2 closeto the position at which the latter passes into the keeper 89 or tonguedmember 97, and said roll 12 is adapted to be run upon by the peripheralface 87 of the keeper-holding wheel 11 or the corresponding face of thewheel 84, the wheel-support ing arm 80 being connected by a pull spring100 with the frame of the machine to hold the two yieldingly in contact,so as to assure exact positioning and movement of the buckle member andat the same time avoid jamming of the work.

In order to produce the particular type of finished product here shown,in which the tab 92 is folded obliquely upon itself, the

- buckle manipulating assembly and the terminal. tab-supporting andfolding roll are positioned obliquelv with relation to the line of feedof the tab-forming strip 17, as shown clearly in Fig. 2., so that thetab fed ob liquely through the eye of the buckle member andconsequentlyis folded obliquely upon self by the subsequent coaction of said roll 12and its mate H The roll 13 isjournaled upon an axle 1011 projectinglaterally from the upper end of an arm 102 which is pivoted at its lowerend upon a stud 103 projecting obliquely from a part of the machineframing, so that the roll 13 is parallel with the roll 12, and said roll13 is constantly urged toward its mate 12 by a pull spring 104connecting the arm 102 with the arm 57.

For withdrawing the roll 13 from the roll 12 to permit the passage ofthe buckle-member held by the dog or 85 of the wheel 11 or 8 1, the dogsare formed as cams, their faces adjacent the center of the wheel,designated as to the wheel 11 and 105 as to the wheel 84, constitutingcam faces adapted to run upon the roll 13 as the dog passes between saidroll and the roll 12.

Tab-feeding and guiding devices.

The lower tab-feeding rolls 22, 23 are ournaled in the bracket 98 andformed with sets of gear teeth 22 23 at their front ends by which theyare adapted to be driven, through an idler gear 106 mounted on thebracket 98 and meshed with a gear 10'? secured on the end of the shaft28. The upper tab-feeding rolls, 2%, 25, adapted to eoact with the lowerrolls 22, 23, are journaled in a floating frame 108 slidably mounted ona pair of vertical guide posts 109, 109 rising from the bracket 98, andare formed at their front ends with sets of gear teeth as, 25 meshedrespectively with those of the lower rolls 22, 23. Two pairs of drivenrolls are thus provided which are adapted yieldingly to grip the tabsand feed them forward from the severing position to the threadingposition.

Secured to the top-face of the floating frame 108 by a screw 110 is atongue spring 111 adapted to bear yieldingly upon the tab 92 to hold thelatter down against the roll 12, in alignment with the eye of the bucklemem her. Sprii'ig metal side guides 113, 113 are secured to the sidefaces of a block formed on the floating frame 108 and straddle thehold-down spring 111, their lower ends converging, with respect to theline of feed of the tab, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that theleading end of each successive tab will he directed into or held inalignment with the buckle member. The side guides 113 are so formed andmounted as to stand widely apart at their work-engaging ends except asthey are closed toward the work by respective nuts 11 1, 114, mountedupon a transverse screw 115 extending through apertures in said sideguides and having its ends secured in cars formed on the floating frame108, said side guides thus being adapted to be adjusted for tabs ofdiiierent widths.

Dries meclzm'zism for hrmkZe-holcling wheel.

The shaft '7 9 of the buckle-holding wheel is connected by auniversal-joint device, including metal coupling disks 116, 116 andspiders 117, 117 therefor, (Fig. 2), with an intermittently driven shaft118 journaled in suitable brackets at the rear of the machine, the twouniversal joints permitting the buckle-holding wheel to be driven in itsoblique position and at diiferent positions of vertical adjustmentcorresponding to buckle members of different lengths.

F or intermittently driving the buckle holding wheel, to bring one afteranother of its dogs 85 momentarily into tab-receiving position, whileanother is in buckle-receiving position, a gear 119 is secured upon theshaft 118 and adapted to be driven intermittently by a mutilated gear120 secured upon the shaft 44* above described, and having one-third asmany teeth as the gear 119.

To prevent over-running of the buckle holding wheel, a disk 121 (Figs. 2and 5) is secured upon the shaft 7 90f said wheel and is formed on itsperiphery with three ratchet notches 122, 122, of appropriate form,spaced apart to correspond to the positions of the dogs 85 on thebuckle-holding wheel, and a suitably formed pawl 123, adapted to be en'-gaged in and disengaged from said notches successively, being releasedfrom one notch and engaged in the next at each revolution of themutilated gear 120, is secured upon a rock-shaft 124: mounted in alateral extension 125 of the arm 80 and connected by a universalcoupling 126 with a shaft 127 mounted in suitable brackets at the rearof the machine and having secured thereon a rocking-lever 128 having anarm 128 projecting into the path of an arm 129 secured upon the shaft 11* and an arm 128 extending in the opposite direction and connected by apull spring 130 with the base of the machine.

Operation.

In the operation of the machine, the mechanisms described being driventhrough the chain 52, the rolls 1a, 15 continuously rotate, drawing thefabric strip 17 through FEKY' the folding device 18, pressing the foldedstrip to compact it and sticking its folded margins against its middleportion, and severing it, or substantially severing it, by

the action of the die 16, into tab lengths 92,

which are farther fed in procession over the tab-folding roll 12, by therolls 22, 23, 24, 25, the auxiliary feed roll 19 preventing excessivetension in the fabric strip 17, and the folding device 18, incooperation with the rolls 1 1, 15, folding over the side margins of thestrip to its middle line.

The buckle holding wheel, being intermittently driven by the mechanismabove dcscribed, stops with one of its dogs 85 in tabreceiving positionand another in bucklereceiving position, as shown clearly in Fig. 1,atwhich time the operator inserts a buckle member, for example, one ofthe keepers 89, in the recess of the properly positioned. dog,

the latch 90 thereof being held in raised position, as shown clearly inFig. 1, by the cam At the next partial turn of the wheel the keeper iscarried to threading or tabreceiving position, the latch 90 beingbrought against the keeper by the spring 98 when the arm 9% pasiies fromthe cam 95, so that the latch firmly holds the keeper in place.

The keeper is thus presented to receive the foremost tab-length, whichis obliquely threaded through the eye of the keeper by the devicesdescribed, the folding roll 13 being forced away from its mate 12 by thecam action of the dog, as will be clear upon refer-er e to 1. .ln thesucceeding movell'lOilil or the dog, from threading position, thefolding roll 13, running off the cam face 105 of the dog, bearsyieldingly against the tab-length, under the force of the spring 104e,and the tab length, in being drawn between the rolls 12, 13, is foldedupon and stuck to itself in interlinked relation to the keeper, heoblique positioning of the keepermanipulating and tab-folding devicesresulting in an oblique line of fold and an oblique disposition of thetwo halves of the tab, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The hook 91 on the end of the latch 90 serves to engage the keepersecurely as the alter is drawn from the rolls 12, 18, to assure thewithdrawal of the keeper although it may be partially dislodged from itsseat by engagement of the roll 12 with its projecting rear portion, andthe latches 90 and the seating recesses of the wheel 8% are so formed,as shown clearly in Fig. 8, as securely to hold the tongued-meniber 97,similarly to assure its withdrawal.

At the end of the tab-foldin g movement of each dog, the latch 90, inthe case of the wheel 11, or the latch 90 in the case of the wheel 84.is withdrawn from the buckle member by the action of the cam 95, perputting the finished buckle member assembly, now at the lower part ofthe wheels orbit to fall from the machine into a receptacle (not shown).

ratios of the gearing as shown are such that the movement of each dogfrom bacids-receiving to tab-receiving position takes place in aboutone-third of the-time required for the feeding of each tab-length,

so that each tab-length is. quickly withdrawn from the line of feed,leaving the tab Iving position vacant, as to the tab- ;cns. until afterthe next buckle member been brought into position to be thread- Tl'iis'permits the strip-feeding me hanism to be continuously driven, so thatits drive mechanism may be of simple construction. and variations oftension and nonuniformity of operation upon the fabric strip areavoided. The feed of the strip, being continuous, does not require to.be so rapid, for a given production, as the intermittent feed of themachines described in the p -tents above referred to, and a steadier,bet 1" controlled manipulation of the fabric strip is thus provided.

'lhe improved tab-folding mechanism above described has the advantage,over the machines of the above mentioned patents, that the roll. 13,being relatively small, being loosely jo ialcd, and having an abruptinitial relative movement transverse to the threaded tab, folds the tabsharply, immediately the eye of the buckle member, and withsubstantially no effect of moving the tab lengthwise, in the eye of thebuckle memher, as distinguished from a large, driven roll initially haimg the tab in tangent relation thereto.

The folding device 18 or the guides 77, 78 may be adjusted from andtoward the rolls i l, 15 to vary the character of the fold or. toaccommodate strips of different widths, but, in practice I find thatwith a proper setting of the devicethe yieldingly held folding jaws 66,66, in conjunction with-their associated elements, provide an accuratelypleated strip, with. the edges of the -fabric abutted at its middleline, although the width of strip used be varied throughout aconsiderable range.

Vertical adjustment of the buckle holding wheel by means of the handlever 82 and set screw as described, in conjunction with the presenttype of tab-folding device, permits operation upon buclrles of cli; f-:"ent sizes withoutsubstitution of the buckle-holding wheel.

The tab-feeding means positioned at the delivery side of the severingpositionresults in improved operation, as such feeding means preventsany uneven driving force of the severing die or rolls from swinging theforward end of the tab-length out of alignment, and also preventsmisaligning of the tab-length by the folding movement of: the onepreceding it.

My invention is susceptible of various modifications within its'scope.and I do not wholly limit my claims to the exact procedure described orthe. specific. construction shown.

I claim:

1. The method of malcing tabs and applying them to articles whichcomprises continuou sly feeding a strip of tab-forming material andsevering it into successive tablengths as it passes a se ring tion.presenting successive articles in pos. on to reeeive the successivetab-lengths and folding each tab length about a part of the art' a 2.The method of making tabs and ap ing them to articles which comprises.feeding a strip of tab-forming material and severing it into successivetab-lengths asit passes a severing station, feeding-said tab-lengths byengagement therewith" ata more advanced position on the delivery side ofthe severing station, and presenting successive article in position toreceive the successive tab-lengths.

3. The method of making tabs and apply ing them to articles whichcomprises continuously feeding a strip of tab-forming material andsevering it into successive tab lengths as it passes a severing station,feeding said tab-lengths by engagement therewith at a more. advancedposition on the dclivery side of the severing station, and presentingsuccessive articles in position to receive the successive tab-lengths.

4. The method of making tabs and applying them to articles whichcomprises continuously feeding strip of tab-forming material andsevering it into successive tablengths asit passes a severing station,pre senting successive articles in position to receive the successivetab-lengths, and moving said articles aside, in succession, from theline of feed of the strip, to withdraw the tab-lengths successively fromthe tab-receiving position.

5. The method of making tabs and applying them to articles whichcomprises feeding a strip. of tab-forming material and severing it intosuccessive tab-lengths as it passes a severing station, feeding saidtab-lengths by engagement therewith at a more advanced position on thedelivery side of the severing station, presenting successive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths, and moving said articlesaside, in succession, from the line of feed of the strip, to with drawthe tab-lengths successively from the tab-receiving position.

6. The method of making tabs and applying them to articles whichcomprises continuously feeding a strip of tab-forming material andsevering it into successive tablengths as it passes a. severing station,feeding said tab-lengths by engagement therewith at a more advancedposition on the delivery side of the severing station, presentingsuccessive articles in position to receive the successive tab-lengths,and moving said articles aside, in succession, from the line of feed ofthe strip, to withdraw the tab-lengths successively from thetabq'eceiving position.

. T. The method of making tabs and applying them to apertured articleswhich com prises continuously feeding a strip of adhesive tab-formingmaterial and severing it into tab-lengths as it passes a. severingstation, presenting the apertured articles successively in position toreceive the successive tab-lengths through their apertures, and foldingeach tab-length and sticking it to itself in interlinked relation to thearticle.

8. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for continuously feeding astrip of tab-forming material and severing it into successivetab-lengths as it passes a severing station, means for presentingsuccessive artic-l-es in positicn to receive the successive tab-lengths,and means for folding each tab length about a part of the article.

9. Talrapplying apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip oftab-forming material and severing it into successive tablengths as itpasses a severing station, means for feeding said tab-lengths byengagement therewith at a more advanced position on the delivery side ofthe severing station, and means for presenting successive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths.

l0. Tab-applying apparatus con'iprising means for continuously feeding ai tab-forming material and severing nto successive tab-le. hs as itpasses a severing station, means for feeding said tab-lone by engagementtherewith at a more advanced position on the delivery side of thesevering station, and means for presenting successive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths.

11. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for continuously feeding astrip of tab-forming material and severing it into successivetab-lengths as it passes a severing station, and means for presenting sccessive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths andfor moving said articles aside, in succession, from the line of feed ofthe strip, to withdraw the tablengths successively from thetab-receiving position.

12. Tab-applying apparatus com, "sing means for feeding a strip oftab-forming material and severing it into successive ta lengths as itpasses a severing station, means for feeding said tab-lengths byengagement therewith at a more advanced position on tne delivery side ofthe severing station, and means for presenting successive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths, and for moving saidarticles aside, in succession, from the line of feed of the strip, towithdraw the tab-lengths successively from the tab-receiving position.

13. Tab-applying apparatus comprising: means for continuously feeding astrip of tab-forming material and severing it into successivetab-lengths as it passes a severing station, means for feeding saidtab-lengths by engagement therewith at a more ad vanced position on thedelivery side of the severing station, and means for presentingsuccessive articles in position to receive the successive tab-lengths,and for moving said articles aside, in succession, from the line of feedof the trip, to withdraw the tablengths successively from thetab-receiving position.

14:. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for continuously feeding astrip of tab-form1ng material and severing it into successivetab-lengths as it passes a severing station, means for presentingsuccessive ar holes in position to receive the successive lltltab-lengths and for moving said articles aside, in succession, from theline of feed of the strip, to withdraw the tab-lengths successively fromthe tab-receiving position, and means for folding the tab-length about apart of the article as the latter is so moved.

15. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip oftab-forming material and severing it into successive tablengths as itpasses a severing station, means for feeding said tab-lengths byengagement therewith at a more advanced position on the delivery side ofthe severing station, means for presenting successive articles inposition to receive the successive tab-lengths, and for moving saidarticles aside, in succession, from the line of feed of the strip, towithdraw the tab-lengths successively from the tab-receiving position,and means for folding the tab-length about a part of the article as thelatter is so moved.

16. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for continuously feeding astrip of tab-forming material and severing it into successivetab-lengths as it passes a severing station, means for feeding saidtab-lengths by engagement therewith at a more advanced position on thedelivery side of the severing station, means for presenting successivearticles in position to receive the successive tab-lengths, and formoving said articles aside, in succession, from the line of feed of thestrip, to withdraw the tabs successively from the tab-receivingposition, and means for folding the tab-length about a part of thearticle as the latter is so moved.

17. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital articlecarrying member whose orbit passes between said pressermembers, and means for associating a length of tab-forming material withan article carried by said article-earn ing member.

18. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital articlecarrying member whose orbit passes be tween said pressermembers, means for driving said article-carrying member and stopping itin an article-receiving position and in a tab-receiving positionalternately, and means for associating a length of tab-forming materialwith an article carried by said article-carrying member.

19. Tabapplying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital article carrier whose orbit passes between said presser members,and means on said carrier adapted toclamp an article thereon as saidcarrier passes to said presser members and to release said article assaid carrier passes from said presser members.

20. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital carrier for an' article to be associated with a tab, the

orbit of said carrier passing between said presser members, means forfolding a tablength associated with an article on said carrier about apart of the article, clamping means on said carrier for holding thearticle thereon, and a cam, in the orbit of said clamping means, adaptedto effect a closing of said clamping means at one part of its orbit andan opening thereof at another part.

21. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, meansyieldingly urging them together, and an orbital article carrier whoseorbit passes between said presser members, said carrier being formed asa cam for forcing said rollers apart for the passage of the article.

22. Tab-applying apparatus coi'i'iprising a pair of presser members,means yieldingly urgin said presser members toward each other, a wheel,an article-holding member mounted on said wheel and adapted to passbetween said presser members as said wheel is turned, and cam-means onsaid wheel for forcing said presser members apart to permit the passageof said article-holding member.

23. Tab-anplying apparatus comprising a wheel, an article carrierprojecting from an end face of saidwbeel, a presser member mounted inthe plane of rotation of said article carrier, yielding means urgingsaid presser member, in said plane, toward the path of said articlecarrier, and means acting against the force of said yielding means forretracting said presser member to permit the passage of said articlecarrier.

24:. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital articlecarrier Whose orbit passes between said! presser members,and means for separating said presser members to permit the passage ofsaid carrier and for closing-them together upon a tab associated with anarticle on said carrier.

25. Tab-applying apparatus comprising a pair of presser members, anorbital article carrier, and spaced apart article-holding devices onsaid carrier alternating with open spaces in the line of the carriersorbit, said Ill iii)

article-holding devices being adapted to pass successively between saidpresser members as the carrier is driven.

26. Tab-applying apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip oftab-forming material, means for presenting an article in position toreceive said strip as it is so fed, andmeans for supporting thearticle-presenting means in different positions to adapt it for articlesof different dimensions.

27. Tab-applying apparatus coi'i'iprising means for feeding a strip oftab-forming material, orbital means for presenting successive articlesin position to receive a strip so fed, means for securing thearticle-presenting means in different positions to adapt succession ofarticle holding devices thereon,

it for articlesof different dimensions, and means adapted to drive saidarticle-presenting means insuch different positions.

'l ab-applying apparatus comprising mcans for continuously feeding aprocession tab-lengths of strip n'iaterial, orbital (r presentingsuccessive articles in and having stopping positions such as to hold oneof said article holding devices in tab receiving position While anotheris in article-receiving position.

30. Tab-making apparatus comprising means for feeding a strip oftab-forn'iingi material, means for folding over the late a1 margins ofthe strip as it is so fed, the fold ing means comprising a pair ofpivoted folder jaws, and means for severing the folded ip intosuccessive tab-lengths 31. Tab-making apparatus comprising means forfeeding a strip of tab-forming n'iaterial and sev ring itinto successivetahlengths, and means for folding over the lateral margins of the stripas it passes to the st said means, the folding means comprising a pairof folder jaws pivoted on axes substantially perpendicular to the planeof the middle portion of the strip, said jaws extending from theirpivots toward the de livery side of the folding device and means foryieldingly urging said jaws toward each other.

32. 'lah-applying apparatus COlJplTld'lg for supporting an aperturedarticle in tion to receive through its aperture a ct tab-forming;niaterial, means for mg said strip through said aperture,

-rotary stripguiding means having" i; surfaces coi verging toward and eac 53: substantially to the aperture of said article in its tab-receivingsosition.

2'3 Talnapplying appa'atus comprising, stripieecling and supportingmeans including a terminal supporting member, means for presenting anarticle in close-up position immediately to receive a strip as thelatter is projected past said terminal supporting member, and hold-downmeans,

substan iallv the same position in the path of the strip as that of theterminal supportmeans as to remove each article ing memoer, for holdingthe scrip against Q1 d. terminalsupporting member as the strip is soprojected.

3 Tah-applying apparatus comor stripaleeding and support" I To ing atern'iinal supporting roller, means presentingan article in close-upposition imi'nediatcl to receive a strip as the latter projected pastsaid roller, and non-rotary strip-guiding ncans directly over saidroller.

35. Tab-applying apparatus comprising trip-feeding and supporting meansincluding a strip-supporting niher. m ns suppor ing an article toreceivethe iona'otar strip-guiding means p so over said supporting member andco ing; a hold-down 1118111281 and a pair o 5;, .ide membe he guidingfaces three conveg toward the deliver; of the device.

36. Tab-applying apparatus comprisiu means for feeding a strip oftab-for material, means for presenting an article 1 position to receivethe strip as it is so and guiding i leans for said strip com' tong tospring adapt c. to bear 1.1)

broad face of the stri and a pair members adapted to act as sioe gnidcsfo the s rip.

37. Tah-a plving means for evdine a Q mater al, means ijor position to riceive the s i pair of spring members rd tc side-guides for the strip,and mess I," sp inging said members from and toward each other to adaptthem for strips of different widths.

38. Tab-applying apparatus compris means for feeding a strip oftab-forn'n material and severing it into successive talr lengths,tab-feeding means adapted to feed the tab-lengths forward from thesevering means, and means-for prez'entii cue: 1 articles to receive thesuccessive ti h-l- .3, said tab-feeding means comprising a t mportingroll ant, a prcss r roll l therewith. and so mounted that 't freelvlifted therefrom, gearec. together when i 39. Tab-applying means forfeeding a s material ant severing; it l11t(' lengths, tab-feeding meansada the tab-lengths forward from the means, and means forpr senting earticles to receive the succet t said tal feeding means comprising iftab-supporting rolls, a movah 1, thereover, means for vertically dbearing, a pair of presser-rolls jo iri n said'bearing and adapted tomate 'w said tab-supporting rolls respectively, and gearson saletab-supporting rolls and said rolls adapted to mesh and unmesh as saidhearing is lowered into operative position and lifted therefrom.

40.1ab-applying apparatus comprising stripieeding and supporting meansincluding a terminal strip-supporting roll, an article holding Wheelformed With an annular peripheral face, means for yieldingly holdingsaid Wheel 50 that said face runs upon said r011 a plurality ofarticle-hold- 1 lug devices projecting from an end face of raid Wheeland spaced apart circumferentially of the Wheel, and a presser roll s0mounted that it may he brought into mating relation to said terminalstrip-supporting roll between said article-holding devices 15 and movedaWay' from said terminal stripsupporting roll to permit the passage ofsaid devices.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of August,1924.

FRANK J. MACDONALD.

